Bolt stop for firearms



June 24, 1947. E c; RElSlNG BOLT STOP FOR FIREARMS Filed Nov. 29, 1943 FIG-3 l0- Fla 4 INVENTOR v 5.0. [PE/SING 7 M ii Patented June 24, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bolt stop applicable especially to automatic and semi-automatic firearms.

Objects of the invention include the provision of an easily operable breech bolt stop for firearms for stopping the bolt in open position at will so thatthe firearm cannot be fired, and also for the purpose of providing easier access to some of the working parts of the firearm; the provision of a manually operated bolt stop which extends through the receiver into the bolt chamber and which may be operated to stop the breech bolt at any time merely by finger pressure in a convenient location; the provision of a bolt stop extending into the bolt chamber of the receiver and being mounted at the free end of a leaf spring in such a manner that by merely pressing the stop it is projected into a recess in the bolt so as to stop the latter in bolt open position; and the provision of the manually operated bolt stop as aforesaid including a latch to hold the stop in operative position so that the firearm may be carried with its bolt open without maintaining pressure on the leaf spring.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a central longitudinal sectional View through the receiver of the firearm and showing the bolt stop in normal inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the bolt in stopped but unlatched position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the bolt in stopped latched position; and

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the bolt stop exteriorly oi the firearm.

In the drawing the reference character ll] indicates a receiver of a firearm of a usual description, said receiver having a bolt chamber l2 receiving the reciprocating breech bolt [4, and in Fig. 1 this bolt is shown in forward closed position, that is, the left hand end of the receiver as shown in the drawing is the end of the receiver to which the barrel is secured, and the Fig. 1 representation shows the breech bolt as it appears when closed and holding the cartridge C in the breech of the firearm. The bolt in this case is provided with a side edge recess IS.

The receiver is tapped at two spaced points to receive a pair of screws to be described. One screw as represented at 18 serves to anchor a spring strip 20 against the receiver, this spring strip having an offset 22 to normally position a portion of the spring strip in a location slightly spaced from but generally parallel to the receiver as at 24. Another screw 28 is provided with an enlargement 28 and a head 29 and this screw extends directly through the spring strip portion 24 and positions the latter, providing a guide for the portion 24, it being noted that enlargement 28 prevents the screw from being entered into the receiver any farther than is shown. The bolt stop itself is represented at 30 and comprises a lug which extends through an opening 32 in the receiver. This lug may be secured to portion 24 of the spring strip by any desired means such as a peened head or the like. The bolt stop 30 is of such a size as to have its free end approximately in line with the interior wall of the receiver when the spring strip is in normal untensioned condition as is shown in Fig. 1 so that the bolt l4 may reciprocate in the firing of the weapon without interference. A sliding catch 34 having a head 36 is mounted on portion 24 of the spring strip. This catch does not interfere with the operation of the bolt stop but as shown in Fig. 3 it may be slid forwardly so that the head 36 engages the underside of the head 29 of screw 26 thus latching the bolt stop in its operative position.

In the operation of the device the firearm may be fired continuously with the bolt stop parts in normal position as shown in Fig. 1 but if it is desired to hold the bolt open in the position as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, then the operator merely presses the head of the stop 30 or the free end of portion 24 of the spring with the finger and thus on the next retraction of the bolt, the bolt stop will be pressed into the recess l6 thus holding the bolt in retracted open position. If the finger of the operator is released, the bolt will of course move forwardly under the influence of the usual mechanism provided in a firearm of the closed bolt type. However if the catch 34 is slid forwardly so as to engage its head 36 under the head 28 of the screw 25, then the parts will be latched in the Fig. 3 position and the bolt will be positively held open until the latch is slid back and the bolt stop released.

The present bolt stop is preferably for use in addition to the usual safety devices embodied in modern firearms, being usually employed as a means for holding the bolt open as is required when the firearm is not being used. However, the present bolt stop will take the place of the safety device if this is desired. In any case the present invention provides means for maintaining a firearm bolt in open position as required on rifle ranges and by all safe firearm practices.

I claim:

1. In a firearm, a receiver and a moving breech bolt therein, a leaf spring secured at one end to the receiver, a part of said spring offset away from the receiver, a lug on said part, means providing for projection of the lug into the receiver upon tensioning of the spring, means on the bolt for engagement by the lug when thus projected, and means latching the spring in bolt-stopping position of the lug.

2. In a firearm, a receiver and a. breech bolt therein, a leaf spring having a pair of offset portions, one portion being secured exteriorly of the receiver, a lug secured to the other portion and extending toward said receiver, means in the receiver for reception of the lug, the latter being normally maintained out of the path of the 15 breech bolt by the spring, but manually projectible into said means and into engagement with the breech bolt, an element extending through the leaf spring portion to which the lug is secured, a head on said element, and a catch slidable on the spring and positionable in engagement with said head to releasably hold the lug in said means.

3. In a firearm, a receiver, a breech bolt therein, a leaf spring secured at one end to the receiver exteriorly thereof, a lug at the free end of the spring, said receiver having an opening therein receiving the lug in position to act as a bolt stop, said spring normally maintaining the lug in bolt free position and yieldable to position the lug in the path of the bolt, a sliding catch on the spring, a fixed element, and interengaging means on the catch and element to releasably hold the spring with the lug in bolt-stopping position.

EUGENE G. REHSING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,396,832 Graham Nov. 15, 1921 676,094 Linville et a1 June 11, 1901 249,967 Mauser Nov. 22, 1881 2,049,776 Hyde Aug. 4, 1936 1,168,024 Nelson Jan. 11, 1916 319,595 Maxim June 9, 1885 2,296,242 Brewer Sept. 22, 1942 990,475 Cuccurullo Apr. 25, 1911 984,519 Browning Feb. 14, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,425 Switzerland Sept. 30, 1941 

